New Diesel Engine Applications in Innovative Aviation

by John Stafford
Boeing in a recent fuel study has concluded that a Jet-A aviation fuel required by diesel jet engines is the best fuel when compared to ethanol or hydrogen fueled aircraft. The costs of operation and modification of aircraft to accept these forms of alternative fuels would be the greatest disadvantage. The biofuel, Jet-A is a synthetic fuel prepared from the equivalent of modified vegetable oil it is easily used to power jet diesel aircraft with ease. The only present issue is the ability of the United States to grow enough soybeans or other selected vegetable oil producing crops to supply the demand for organic aviation fuel instead of petroleum based aviation fuels.
It is estimated that an agricultural area equivalent to Florida would be needed to grow sufficient soybeans to meet the demand for fuels derived from vegetable oil. Jet-A requires only minor alterations to present aircraft whereas hydrogen and ethanol demand excessive structural and radical design modifications of engine design.
 
Several well-known aviation companies have started or concluded research and prototype development of diesel engines for civilian aircraft. They have met with great success both in American firms like the DeltaHawk, Inc. and in the European market by the introduction of the Thielerts’ Centurion 4.0 turbo-diesel aviation motor.